I Tried Dior's New Squeezable Mascara, and, Whoa, It Gave Me Lashes

It's hard to find a best-mascaras list that doesn't mention the iconic Diorshow Mascara. It's the gold standard of designer mascaras. Just ask any beauty editor or influencer, and they'll tell you all about how it gives you the thickest of thick lashes. So the fact that Dior is releasing a new version of the all-star product is pretty huge. And not only that, but I bet you've never seen a tube like it before.

The new Dior Diorshow Pump ‘N’ Volume Mascara ($30), which officially launches early next month, looks exactly like the cult classic at first glance, but the tube is actually made of rubber so you can squeeze it in the middle on either side to move the product around. Honestly, it's pretty addictive—I find myself zoning out as I'm putting on my makeup, just playing with the tube until I realize I only have five minutes to get out the door.

Besides being so much fun to squeeze, the rubber tube serves an important purpose. When you press in, it helps warm up the formula inside so it's easier to apply. It's based off an old makeup-artist hack: Pros backstage would blast a mascara tube with a hair-dryer so the formula glides on and really coats your lashes for the most volume possible. I've got to say: It works.

Sometimes mascara gets dry and gross when it's sitting in the tube for too long. I'm someone who has half a dozen mascaras in rotation at all times, and so mascaras can tend to sit for a week or more before I pick them up again. So I love that by warming the Dior formula up, I'm kind of reactivating it so it's as good as new. Then I don't have to pump my wand over and over, which lets air get trapped in the tube and dries it all up even faster. The promise of mascara that stays fresh longer makes the price tag look a whole lot more affordable.

The formula itself is pretty thick (like the OG) so it adds tons of volume. Also, the brush! The rubber bristles trap tons of product between them, so one layer is really all you need. I noticed that as I swiped on the formula, a few lashes clumped together but not in that annoying clumpy way. It just made my lashes look thicker and bolder, which is exactly what I want for a night out.

My one complaint: Because it's such a thick formula, the product on my lower lashes smudges if I put on too much, especially if I start sweating as I get ready. So it's best to use a light hand on the bottom, unless you're going for a full-on Twiggy look, in which case I recommend using a lash primer like the Smashbox Photo Finish Lash Primer first and a little extra powder or a cream-to-powder primer under your eyes like the Catrice Prime and Fine Instant Line Smoother.

Emily Kemp

So the big question: Would I wear this every day? Probably not. It's a little too much lash than I want during the workday. (That said, other editors on the beauty team were here for it.) But for a day when I'm only wearing mascara and a lip or nights when I want to go all-out smoky, you'd better believe this is what I'll be putting on now. And not just because I can't stop squeezing it.